LAFC, Nashville & San Diego: What makes the unbeatens so dangerous? | OneFootball

By Joseph Lowery

And then there were three.

After the first five matchdays of the MLS season, only a trio of teams remain undefeated: LAFC, Nashville SC and San Diego FC. 

What’s gone right for those three clubs so far in 2026? Let’s dig in.

Sam Surridge: MLS Player of the Month | February & March 2026

Los Angeles Football Club

Biggest strength: Defensive excellence

Still yet to concede a goal in MLS play, LAFC have set the MLS record for consecutive shutout minutes to begin a season. Their tally already sits at 450 minutes, and it may not stop there.

Even with a managerial shift from Steve Cherundolo to Marc Dos Santos, defensive attention remains a priority for LAFC.

With a top-10 defense based on expected goals allowed and goalkeeper Hugo Lloris having saved the second-most goals above expected so far this year, as per American Soccer Analysis, the Black & Gold are impressively stingy.

Most underrated part: Squad depth

LAFC’s roster is impressively deep, even as Dos Santos rolls out consistent lineups across league play and Concacaf Champions Cup matches. For example, Son Heung-Min and Denis Bouanga have started all nine of LAFC’s fixtures so far this season.

Offseason signing Amin Boudri has impressed in his substitute appearances, while Ryan Hollingshead and Nathan Ordaz are overqualified backups at both ends of the field. We haven't even seen Jacob Shaffelburg play yet as he recovers from injury, and David Martínez looks to have leveled up around the goal. 

Deep and talented with roster flexibility for the summer window, LAFC are downright scary.

What’s new in 2026?

From a tactical standpoint, Dos Santos has altered some of the positioning in and out of possession. Eddie Segura has become the starting left back in a 4-4-2 defensive shape who shifts into a left-sided center back role in a 3-2-5 attacking shape. Many of the same principles have carried over from the Cherundolo era, however.

From a personnel standpoint, perhaps the biggest newcomer is midfielder Stephen Eustáquio. Currently recovering from an injury, the Porto loanee showed flashes of elite distribution early in the year. If the Canadian international is healthy, he’s transformative for LAFC’s attacking setup.

Their weakness: Balancing attack and defense

Outside of their season-opening, 3-0 win against Inter Miami CF, LAFC’s attack has been relatively muted this season – despite having Son and Bouanga up top. According to American Soccer Analysis, LAFC have yet to post more than 1.3 expected goals in any of the four matches that followed their victory over Miami.

Whether it's a byproduct of tired legs balancing two competitions, a relatively conservative starting lineup, or underdeveloped patterns in the final third, there’s work to be done.

Nashville SC

Biggest strength: A filthy-good right wing

A wing driven by Andy Najar can get you pretty darn far. But a wing driven by Najar and newcomer Cristian Espinoza? That can do some scary stuff to opposing defenses.

Between those two best-in-class creators, Patrick Yazbek drifting forward out of central midfield, and Hany Mukhtar being his typically excellent self, few teams can match the amount of attacking verve Nashville boast on that side.

With clever overloads and well-timed off-ball movement, the early returns on this Nashville team are very, very promising.

Most underrated part: Athleticism

In Yazbek, Nashville have one of MLS’s absolute best ground-covering midfielders. Similar things can be said of his partner in the double pivot, Eddi Tagseth.

With those two patrolling the midfield while center backs Jeisson Palacios and Maxwell Woledzi shut down opposing attacks with their strength and speed, Nashville have enough grit to go toe-to-toe with anyone in the region.

Toss in a trio of Designated Players committed to defending, and you have an extremely well-rounded team.

What’s new in 2026?

Espinoza’s presence, mostly.

It didn’t take much imagination to picture the Argentine fitting snugly into B.J. Callaghan’s tactical approach – and that’s exactly what’s happened. Espinoza is sixth among wingers in MLS this season in expected goals plus expected assists, according to American Soccer Analysis. His connection with Najar on the right side and his distribution into Mukhtar and Sam Surridge has left nothing to be desired.

The former San Jose Earthquakes standout elevated an already dangerous Nashville team into something more, and even has helped Surridge contend for the Golden Boot presented by Audi with a league-best seven goals.

Their weakness: Left-sided attacking

For as dominant as Nashville's right side is, I’m not sold by whatever combination of Alex Muyl, Warren Madrigal, Daniel Lovitz and Reed Baker-Whiting suit up on the left. There’s less reliable attacking threat between those players, though Madrigal could turn out to be something of a difference-maker.

If I’m a team with Nashville coming up on my schedule, I’m doing everything I can to make their left side beat me.

San Diego Football Club

Biggest strength: Scoring goals

Inside the league’s top five in goals scored and top 10 for expected goals, San Diego’s chief asset is clear: they can create chances and put the ball into the back of the net against anybody.

For those who watched San Diego and Anders Dreyer during their expansion season, that should come as no surprise.

Now, with ample roster continuity and the same buildup-heavy tactical principles, this year’s squad looks every bit as dangerous going forward as they did in 2025.

Most underrated part: Off-ball movement

Many sing the praises of San Diego's patient possession approach, one that featured a historic number of passes played inside their own third last year. With ambitious, clever passers at just about every spot on the field, it’s easy to be captivated by how San Diego move the ball. But to ignore how they move off the ball is a mistake.

Smart, well-drilled patterns define some of the sophomore outfit’s movement, while spatial awareness and organization by defensive midfielder Jeppe Tverskov governs parts of the rest. It’s magical to watch, and it sets San Diego FC apart.

What’s new in 2026?

At a macro level, not a whole lot. San Diego have shown the same stylistic approach and have retained much of the same talent that made them one of the league’s best teams in 2025.

But at a micro level, some of the personnel are different. Namely, Chucky Lozano hasn’t made one of the team’s matchday squads this season after conflict dating back to last fall. In his absence, Amahl Pellegrino has continued eating up minutes on the left wing.

Further upfield, a healthy Marcus Ingvartsen has produced in the early stages of this new season. The veteran striker already has five non-penalty goal contributions. Ingvartsen's return gives San Diego tactical flexibility that they lacked last year.

Their weakness: Conceding chances

So far this year, San Diego have played a little fast and loose with the defensive side of the game. With a style that demands short passes close to their own goal and a high defensive line at times, a bit of early-season sloppiness has resulted in a healthy share of chances conceded.

With five goals allowed in their last two games and having given up more xG than all but eight teams in the league, as per American Soccer Analysis, there’s work to be done when it comes to cleaning things up in the back.